Life through an achromatic lens or a look back at 2004 and a look ahead at 2005

I won’t get into whether 2004 was a good year or a bad year, because it was many things to many people.  It was an interesting year – that much is sure – as the coming year will undoubtedly be.  I’d like to take a few minutes to look back on what personally affected me in 2004 and maybe take a quick peek at what 2005 is going to offer

It was a year of many things magic for the movie industry.  It was the highest grossing year ever at the box office with grosses over 9 Billion Dollars.  That’s a lot Forrest.

I only recall one really bad, stupid and insulting movie this year – Fahrenheit 9/11.  If there any of you out there reading this right now who thought that movie was true, then you’re just too stupid to continue to read this column any more, put the paper down.

Great films this year included The Passion of The Christ, Spiderman 2, The Bourne Supremacy, Ray, Million Dollar Baby and my personal favorite – Garden State.  Terrific acting by Jamie Foxx in Ray and Collateral should win him at least one Academy Award and Hillary Swank should get her second Academy Award for Million Dollar Baby.

On a national and global level, 2004 gave us both the Presidential race and the ongoing nightmare in Iraq.  They both continued to strengthen the rest of the world’s belief that we have collectively lost our minds.  Can you imagine all the other countries around the world and how they must have been laughing at the cast of characters that the Democratic Party had running for the big seat.  Then they end up backing a whacko liberal flip-flopper who didn’t have a shot at beating W.  Trust me, they were laughing.

Locally, Mayor Joe had his first year in office – and it was a better first year as Mayor than I think anyone expected.  Except Joe – he kept his promises, assembled a good team that cares about the city, broke up the status quo in city government and didn’t allow himself to be wrapped up in self importance.  Nice change – nice work.

Look, before you roll your eyes, I don’t say these things because I got my job through him, have a board appointment or even do business with the city (with or without a contract) – because none of those apply to me.  If he was doing a crappy job as Mayor, I would say it – but the truth be told – he’s not.  You know, I think that’s what bothers some people in this city – we have a Mayor who by all accounts doesn’t have higher political office aspirations, wants to save money by creating a more efficient municipal government and doesn’t lie to your face.  What’s so wrong with all that?

Now onto 2005.

I have a positive attitude about the coming year.  Better business, safer streets and a more enjoyable baseball season – who could generally hope for anything more?

I’m also pretty positive that the overall divisive nature of the “mainstream” Somerville Political beast will rear its ugly head again starting any old day now.  It’s no wonder the so-called “progressives” smell blood in the water.

Pod people watching is good clean fun though, so it will be enjoyable nonetheless.

Seriously, this could be a really good year – with healthy dose of economic recovery, a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean and troop withdrawal from Iraq – those would be a good start – we might be able to enjoy ourselves and not be tense all the time.

It’s like people are walking around just waiting for the other shoe to drop, and I’m not entirely sure it isn’t because of this past presidential election.  I’m color blind and I really don’t need the Garanimal terror threat system to make me more aware of some dudes I might not have normally noticed with their U-Haul van in back of the office building loading fertilizer and grain alcohol.  In other words, I don’t have to be hit over the head with the dirty bomb itself to get the point.

Personally, I have a few resolutions for myself in this fresh new year.

Aside from the typical hopeful business and monetary wishes for myself and my family, I will try harder to be a better husband and father, I will lose the weight I really need to lose before it’s too late and I will complete all the projects I have slated for our house – lord knows I won’t be hiring any of the contractors who rehabbed the house last year again.  That’s another story for another issue.  Have a Happy and Healthy New Year.